1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of an ink-jet recording apparatus permitting at least one ink cartridge mounted thereon to be replaced, and more particular to a structure of an ink cartridge holding device which holds the at least one ink cartridge.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In an ink-jet recording apparatus, an ink droplet or ink droplets are selectively ejected from a recording head onto a recording medium, e.g., a recording sheet, based on an image data, so that an image is recorded on the recording medium. In the ink-jet recording apparatus described above, ink is normally pre-stored in a cartridge-type ink tank (hereinafter, abbreviated as “an ink cartridge”), and supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head. Generally, depending on a manner of supplying the ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head, types of the ink-jet recording apparatus are roughly classified into following two types: so-called an “ON carriage type” and an “OFF carriage type”.
In the ink-jet recording apparatus classified as the “ON carriage type” the ink cartridge is directly mounted on a carriage which is equipped with the recording head and which is reciprocatable above the recording sheet, so that the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head. In the recording apparatus classified as the “OFF carriage type”, the ink cartridge is disposed on a portion located inside or outside of a body of the ink-jet recording apparatus. In this arrangement, the ink cartridge is connected, via a flexible ink supply tube, to the recording head in full time, so that the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head.
Further, there is another “OFF carriage type” ink-jet recording apparatus in which the ink cartridge is temporarily connected to the recording head via a connecting means provided on a specific position in the ink-jet recording apparatus when the recording head is moved to the above-indicated specific position, so that the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head. It is noted that, in order to simplify a description, an “OFF carriage type” ink-jet recording apparatus to be described hereinafter is classified as the above-described “OFF carriage type” in which the cartridge is connected, via the flexible ink supply tube, to the recording head in full time, so that the ink is supplied from the at least one ink cartridge to the recording head.
In the above-described ink-jet recording apparatus classified as the “OFF carriage type”, there is provided an accommodating portion for accommodating the ink cartridge, usually having a case which is provided therein for holding and stabilizing the ink cartridge. The case is connected to the recording head via the ink supply tube, etc. Further, an ink supply needle is provided inside of the case. The ink supply tube and the ink supply needle, etc., cooperatively define an ink supply channel for connecting the ink cartridge to the recording head.
In the state in which the ink cartridge is hold and stabilized by the case, the ink supply needle is inserted into an ink supply portion of the ink cartridge. In this state, the ink cartridge is connected to the ink supply channel, whereby the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head via the ink supply channel. In this arrangement, the ink cartridge and the case are pre-constructed together as a unit which is to be set in the above-described accommodating portion of the ink-jet recording apparatus. The unit is particularly defined as a “refill unit”.
In the ink-jet recording apparatus described above, if the ink stored in the ink cartridge is used up or consumed until a nearly-empty state, the ink cartridge needs to be replaced with a new ink cartridge. If volume of the ink cartridge is small, frequency of replacing the ink cartridge is increased.
It is troublesome for the operator to replace the ink cartridge. Also, there is a risk of ink leakage when the ink cartridge is replaced by the operator, due to a bad construction of the ink-jet recording apparatus or poor handling ability of the operator. Therefore, the increased frequency of replacing the ink cartridge results in increased tasks for the operator and increased risk of the ink leakage. Thus, in order to decrease the frequency of replacing the ink cartridge, it is required for the ink-jet recording apparatus to be equipped with an ink cartridge having large volume.
An example of a large-sized ink-jet recording apparatus which includes the ink cartridge having large volume is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications JP-A-2002-166573 and JP-A-2002-166569. The large-sized ink-jet recording apparatus also includes a plurality of leg portions for supporting a box-like body thereof.
In the large-sized ink-jet recording apparatus disclosed in the above-described Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications JP-A-2002-166573 and JP-A-2002-166569, a case for accommodating ink cartridges is set in an accommodating portion located on a front side of the box-like body. A cover which can be opened forwardly and closed is attached to the front side of the box-like body. The cover is pivotably supported by a shaft at its lower portion, and attached to a latch portion at its upper portion. If the latch portion is detached from the cover, the cover is pivotably opened about a pivot axis. The case is provided at a back of the cover inside of the large-sized ink-jet recording apparatus, for holding the corresponding one of the ink cartridges. The case has a plurality of door members each of which can be opened and closed and each of which is provided for stabilizing the corresponding one of the ink cartridges that stores a corresponding color ink.
There will be described an outline of procedure of the attachment of the ink cartridge to the ink-jet recording apparatus employing the above-described construction.
The cover attached to the box-like body of the ink-jet recording apparatus is normally closed. Initially, the upper portion of the cover is pushed by the operator such that the latch portion is detached, whereby the cover is pivotably opened. After the cover is opened, there is exposed the case having the plurality of door members each being closed. Then, an upper portion of the door member of the desired ink cartridge is pushed, at a prescribed position, by the operator, whereby the door member is opened. After the door member is opened, a new ink cartridge is attached, and then the door member is closed by the operator. By closing the cover, all procedure of attaching the ink cartridge to the ink-jet recording apparatus is completed.